Chirstmas might really come early this year... or not if you AMD's chief exec.

"Intel is slated to launch the 3GHz version of its Pentium 4 processor on Nov. 14, fulfilling promises made by company executives more than a year ago, according to solution providers informed about the release date.

The product launch likely will affect pricing throughout Intel's P4 lineup in the remaining six weeks of the fourth quarter, which covers the peak holiday selling season, said the solution providers, who wished to remain anonymous.

An Intel spokesman would neither confirm nor deny the Nov. 14 launch date but said the company still plans to release the 3GHz P4 chip this quarter.

By coming out with a 3GHz product in that time frame, Intel would reach an important psychological milestone and beat chip rivals such as Advanced Micro Devices and IBM, the solution providers said. Plus, the inception of a 3GHz P4 would change the positioning of desktops built with 2.6GHz and 2.8GHz processors, currently the highest-end P4s, they noted. "